Reign vs. Rule — What's the Difference?

The dominion held by a monarch.

The exercise of control or authority.

The period a monarch is in power.

A prescribed guide for conduct.

The tenure of a leader.

Governing power or its possession or use; authority.

A predominant or pervasive influence.

The duration of such power.

A reign is the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation (e.g., Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Andorra), of a people (e.g., the Franks, the Zulus) or of a spiritual community (e.g., Catholicism, Tibetan Buddhism, Nizari Ismailism). In most hereditary monarchies and some elective monarchies (e.g., Holy Roman Empire) there have been no limits on the duration of a sovereign's reign or incumbency, nor is there a term of office.

An authoritative, prescribed direction for conduct, especially one of the regulations governing procedure in a legislative body or a regulation observed by the players in a game, sport, or contest.

Hold royal office; rule as monarch

The body of regulations prescribed by the founder of a religious order for governing the conduct of its members.

The period of rule of a monarch

A usual, customary, or generalized course of action or behavior

Exercise of sovereign power, as by a monarch.

A generalized statement that describes what is true in most or all cases

The period during which a monarch rules.

(Mathematics) A standard method or procedure for solving a class of problems.

Dominance or widespread influence

A court decision serving as a precedent for subsequent cases

To exercise sovereign power

A legal doctrine or principle.

To hold the title of monarch, but with limited authority.

A court order.

To be predominant or prevalent

A minor regulation or law.

The exercise of sovereign power.

A statute or regulation governing the court process

The period during which a monarch rules.

See ruler.

The territory or sphere over which a kingdom; empire; realm; dominion, etc. is ruled.

(Printing) A thin metal strip of various widths and designs, used to print borders or lines, as between columns.

(intransitive) To exercise sovereign power, to rule as a monarch.

To exercise control, dominion, or direction over; govern

To reign over (a country)

To have a powerful influence over; dominate

To be the winner of the most recent iteration of a competition.

To be a preeminent or dominant factor in

To be a dominant quality of a place or situation; to prevail, predominate, rule.

To decide or declare authoritatively or judicially; decree

Royal authority; supreme power; sovereignty; rule; dominion.

To mark with straight parallel lines.

The territory or sphere which is reigned over; kingdom; empire; realm; dominion.

To mark (a straight line), as with a ruler.

The time during which a king, queen, or emperor possesses the supreme authority; as, it happened in the reign of Elizabeth.

To be in total control or command; exercise supreme authority.

To possess or exercise sovereign power or authority; to exercise government, as a king or emperor;; to hold supreme power; to rule.

To formulate and issue a decree or decision.

Hence, to be predominant; to prevail.

To prevail at a particular level or rate

To have superior or uncontrolled dominion; to rule.

(Slang) To be excellent or superior

A period during which something or somebody is dominant or powerful;

A regulation, law, guideline.

The period during which a monarch is sovereign;

A regulating principle.

Royal authority; the dominion of a monarch

The act of ruling; administration of law; government; empire; authority; control.

Have sovereign power;

A normal condition or state of affairs.

Be larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance;

(obsolete) Conduct; behaviour.

The duration of supremacy.

(legal) An order regulating the practice of the courts, or an order made between parties to an action or a suit.

(math) A determinate method prescribed for performing any operation and producing a certain result.

A ruler; device for measuring, a straightedge, a measure.

A straight line continuous mark, as made by a pen or the like, especially one lying across a paper as a guide for writing.

A thin plate of brass or other metal, of the same height as the type, and used for printing lines, as between columns on the same page, or in tabular work.

(obsolete) Revelry.

To regulate, be in charge of, make decisions for, reign over.

To excel.

(intransitive) To decide judicially.

(transitive) To establish or settle by, or as by, a rule; to fix by universal or general consent, or by common practice.

(transitive) To mark (paper or the like) with rules lines.

To revel.

That which is prescribed or laid down as a guide for conduct or action; a governing direction for a specific purpose; an authoritative enactment; a regulation; a prescription; a precept; as, the rules of various societies; the rules governing a school; a rule of etiquette or propriety; the rules of cricket.

Uniform or established course of things.

Systematic method or practice; as, my ule is to rise at six o'clock.

The act of ruling; administration of law; government; empire; authority; control.

An order regulating the practice of the courts, or an order made between parties to an action or a suit.

A determinate method prescribed for performing any operation and producing a certain result; as, a rule for extracting the cube root.

A general principle concerning the formation or use of words, or a concise statement thereof; thus, it is a rule in England, that s or es , added to a noun in the singular number, forms the plural of that noun; but "man" forms its plural "men", and is an exception to the rule.

A straight strip of wood, metal, or the like, which serves as a guide in drawing a straight line; a ruler.

A thin plate of metal (usually brass) of the same height as the type, and used for printing lines, as between columns on the same page, or in tabular work.

To control the will and actions of; to exercise authority or dominion over; to govern; to manage.

To control or direct by influence, counsel, or persuasion; to guide; - used chiefly in the passive.

To establish or settle by, or as by, a rule; to fix by universal or general consent, or by common practice.

To require or command by rule; to give as a direction or order of court.

To mark with lines made with a pen, pencil, etc., guided by a rule or ruler; to print or mark with lines by means of a rule or other contrivance effecting a similar result; as, to rule a sheet of paper of a blank book.

To have power or command; to exercise supreme authority; - often followed by over.

To lay down and settle a rule or order of court; to decide an incidental point; to enter a rule.

To keep within a (certain) range for a time; to be in general, or as a rule; as, prices ruled lower yesterday than the day before.

A principle or condition that customarily governs behavior;

Something regarded as a normative example;

Prescribed guide for conduct or action

(linguistics) a rule describing (or prescribing) a linguistic practice

A basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct;

A rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system;

The duration of a monarch's or government's power;

Dominance or power through legal authority;

Directions that define the way a game or sport is to be conducted;

Any one of a systematic body of regulations defining the way of life of members of a religious order;

(mathematics) a standard procedure for solving a class of mathematical problems;

Measuring stick consisting of a strip of wood or metal or plastic with a straight edge that is used for drawing straight lines and measuring lengths

Exercise authority over; as of nations;

Decide with authority;

Be larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance;

Decide on and make a declaration about;

Have an affinity with; of signs of the zodiac

Mark or draw with a ruler;

Keep in check;

To dominate or prevail.

A principle or regulation governing behavior.

To make a legal determination.

"Rule" denotes the exercise of control or authority, not limited to monarchs.

Mostly, but "Reign" can also mean a dominant influence in other contexts.

Yes, a "Rule" can be a guideline or principle governing behavior.

Generally, "Reign" is reserved for monarchs, so a president would "Rule" or govern.

"Reign" typically refers to the period a monarch holds power.

Yes, to "Rule" can mean making a legal determination.

One might refer to their "Rule" to describe their leadership style.

Not always. Some monarchs reign, but governance is carried out by others.

"Rule" is more versatile, applying to various acts of governance.

No, a "Reign" can be remembered either fondly or infamously.